Discipline

Palace of Tranquillity, eastern chamber courtyard.

"It has come to my attention that complaints have been raised about our circumstances, and more specifically, my 'passiveness' which has caused said circumstances."

Zi Hua's narrowed eyes swept across the courtyard full of kneeling servants, making them lower their heads like chickens.

"On my first day, I offered to listen to any of your grievances. If you had voiced your concerns upfront, perhaps I would have respected you. But instead, you chose to tattle behind my back like cowards. Thus, I will have to punish you as such."

Her tone took on an intimidating drawl. "Do you know how cowardly deserters are punished in the army?"

A few of the servants swallowed audibly. Zi Hua took note of their faces—these were probably the ones planning to leave in times of adversity. She would have to fire them one day.

"According to military law, deserters will be stripped, flogged, and branded with hot coal!" Yue'er stepped forward and announced loudly. "If they are still alive after that, then they will be executed, and their families will be exiled."

A ripple of unease swept through the servants. Their fear was palpable, but necessary.

"However!" Yue'er continued, "Our mistress is merciful, so you won't have to repent with your lives. For your sins of badmouthing your superior and dereliction of duties, you will be punished to one hundred push-ups, one hundred sit-ups, one hundred sets of barrel lifts, two shichens of horse stance squats, and running two hundred laps around the eastern chamber!"

"But mistress, that's unfair!" Xiao Tong, the head eunuch shouted. "Not all of us committed the sins you listed! Are the innocents to suffer alongside the guilty?!"

Zi Hua laughed incredulously. Innocent?

"Qiu'er!"

'Nobody here is innocent.'

At her command, Qiu'er revealed the results of her daily observations: "A fortnight ago, Xiao Tong snuck out at the Wei hour, leaving the front gate unguarded for half a shichen; one week ago at the Mao hour, Chun'er took a nap instead of gardening; two days ago at the Hai hour, Ji'er left her post one shichen early and went to bed..."

The list went on and on, the named servants paling when they realised they hadn't been as stealthy as they'd thought.

"Since you seemed to enjoy running your mouths and running from work, I assumed you would appreciate some actual running," Zi Hua explained, crossing her arms. "Anyone else dissatisfied with my judgement?"

Silence. A few shaking heads. General acceptance.

"What are you all waiting for then? BEGIN!"

***

Western chamber.

"Ha... Help... Ha..."

"Can't... Go... Farther..."

"If— If I die... will— will you... bury me...?"

"Mistress, please have mercy on this servant! My legs feels like—"

"Shut up! You look energetic enough to complain!"

"Watch them closely, Yue'er! Those who stop halfway will have their punishment doubled!"

"Yes, mistress! Why are you all slowing down? Didn't you eat breakfast?!"

"FASTER! FASTER! FASTER!!!"

Mournful cries and strange sounds travelled past the eastern chamber's walls, drifting into the ears of their unsuspecting neighbours. The ruckus sounded like a cross between a funeral and an earthquake, which wasn't pleasant to hear at any time, least of all during naptime.

Worse yet, it got louder as the time progressed.

Madame Ye finally gave up on falling asleep and called for her lady-in-waiting. "Yi'er! What is all that commotion outside?"

Her stone-faced lady-in-waiting wore a rare expression of disgust and cotton fluff in her ears. "Answering mistress, it's the eastern chamber!" she replied, raising her voice due to her obstructed hearing and the background noise. "Noble Beauty Yang is punishing her servants!"

Madame Ye flipped open her blanket in disbelief. "How ridiculous... Help me get dressed at once!"

***

Eastern chamber.

Zi Hua couldn't hide her surprise at her unannounced and unexpected visitor.

"Good afternoon, Madame Ye," she greeted politely. "What brings you here?"

"For your information, Noble Beauty Yang, it is illegal for consorts to resort to personal violence against servants," Madame Ye stated in reply.

There were dark circles under her eyes, and her tone carried the impatience of a sleep-deprived person. Yet, when she peeked through a crack in the gate behind Zi Hua, shock dashed away some of her animosity.

Around two dozen servants were... What were they doing?

Some were running around the courtyard while wailing; others were laying flat on the ground, seemingly having given up on life, but also flopping around to perform strange movements.

"Oh!" Zi Hua gasped, subtly shifting to block the gap in the gate. "I didn't know that. Thank you for the advice."

"But mistress, does this mean they'll get off scot-free for disrespecting you?" Yue'er leaned in and whispered.

Zi Hua held back the urge to gag her, not for the first time.

'This girl... Could she have whispered any louder?'

As expected, Madame Ye's brows raised. "Noble Beauty Yang need not worry; I only stopped by to get some pointers on exercising. I didn't see or hear anything else."

As realisation crossed Zi Hua's face, an imperceptible smile appeared on Madame Ye's.

"Well then, have a nice day, Noble Beauty Yang."

When she disappeared from sight, presumably to catch up on sleep, Zi Hua re-entered her courtyard with a devilish smirk. With Madame Ye's excuse, she could now disregard all consequences... After all, plenty of soldiers collapsed during "training".

'Mwahaha...'

The servants who had taken advantage of her absence to slack off instantly snapped to attention, chills shooting down their spines.

"Hm... You're all lacking more than I thought," Zi Hua mused, surveying the breathless bunch. "How can our eastern chamber's servants be weaker than their mistress? This won't do. Those who aren't moving right now, triple y—"

"Apologies, mistress, I'll move right away!"

"Mistress, they were the ones resting, not me!"

"Don't listen to her! Mistress!"

"MISTRESS—PLEASE DON'T TRIPLE OUR PUNISHMENT!!!"

***

Palace of Longevity. Night.

"Your Highness, His Majesty flipped Noble Lady Meng's plaque tonight."

Empress Dowager Qiu's nerves flared up at the news. Sensing her vexation, her lady-in-waiting, Madam Lao, lightly massaged her temple.

"Your Highness, please relax," she murmured. "Although it is an unfortunate setback, this is not His Majesty's first act of rebellion. And... Frankly speaking, it doesn't look like it will be his last."

Had anyone else said that, Empress Dowager Qiu would have had their mouth slapped, but this was coming from her closest confidant, and after three years there was no use denying the truth—the emperor was straying away from her control.

"I know," she groaned, her headache worsening. "Madam Lao, did I make the right decision supporting him all those years ago?"

Madam Lao's skilful movements didn't even hesitate. "Of course," she answered. "No matter what, His Majesty is still a hundredfold better than Grand Prince Hong."

Burning palace, bloody sword, hate-filled eyes...

"I KNOW IT WAS YOU."

Buried memories flashed through Empress Dowager Qiu's mind, her muscles tensing again.

"Your Highness...." Madam Lao sighed. "We can only look forward now. The Qiu Duchy's future is in your hands."

"You're absolutely right. Anybody is better than having that murderer sit on the Dragon Throne." Empress Dowager Qiu suddenly sat up straight, focusing on the present. "How is the progress with Noble Lady Bai?"

"Answering Your Highness, she claims she will only copy the scriptures on the fifteenth of next month, as the auspicious date and time will bless the scriptures this way."

"How dare she delay Rong'er's favour using the scriptures," Empress Dowager Qiu scoffed. "I may not be able to teach the emperor a lesson, but a mere Noble Lady is a different story. Madam Lao?"

"Yes, Your Highness?"

"Send someone strict to supervise Noble Lady Bai, and tell her: 'innate sincerity defeats any external blessing'. If she plays any more tricks... You know what to do."

An understanding smile played on Madam Lan's elderly face, strangely sinister in the shadows.

"Your wish is my command, Your Highness."